"One Big Inning" Dooms Brewers In 8-4 Loss To Rays

by Kyle Lobner on Jun 20, 2011 10:48 PM CDT in WPA Game Recaps

W: Jeff Niemann (2-4)
L: Chris Narveson (4-5)

HR: Jonathan Lucroy (7), Evan Longoria (6)

MVP: Casey McGehee (+.121)
LVP: Mark Kotsay (-.184)

Win Expectancy Graph and Star of the Game Voting

And the meltdown inning claims another victim.

Through six innings tonight the Brewers and Rays were locked in a pitchers' duel, with the Rays leading 1-0. Unfortunately, things were not destined to remain that way. As he has done several times this season, Narveson allowed the opponent to put the game out of reach with one big inning in the seventh as the Rays batted around and scored four runs. All told, Narveson allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over 6.2 innings, striking out six.

That was all the Rays needed, as they held the Brewers nearly scoreless tonight. Jeff Niemann, pitching in the majors for the first time in over a month, shut the Brewers out for six innings and the Rays bullpen took it from there.

That Rays bullpen, by the way, briefly featured one of the more bizarre moments we've seen this season. Entering the bottom of the eighth leading 8-1, the Rays didn't have a pitcher ready and sent outfielder Sam Fuld to the mound to warm up. Fuld was removed from the game before facing a batter and Cesar Ramos took his place.

In other notes:

Ryan Braun was a late scratch from tonight's game with a "viral upper respiratory infection." Mark Kotsay started in his place and went 0-for-4.
Ron Roenicke and Dale Sveum were ejected in the sixth inning for arguing the call when home plate umpire Bob Davidson ruled Nyjer Morgan hadn't done enough to get out of the way of a pitch that hit him. I'll have more on that later.
Jonathan Lucroy, who entered the game hitting .151/.193/.170 with no home runs in June, hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to plate the Brewers' first run.
LaTroy Hawkins allowed a hit but nothing else in the ninth to extend his scoreless streak to 18.1 innings.
Tonight's game was played in a neat-and-tidy 3:38, making it the second longest nine inning game the Brewers have played all season. The only longer game was a 3:44, 14-7 loss to the Astros on April 22.

The Cardinals were off tonight, so they'll take a half game lead in the NL Central going into play tomorrow.

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I would make a comment about Bob Davidson

But I think I would get tossed from BCB. I doubt I can add anything to the Gamethread discussion anyway.

by ecocd on Jun 20, 2011 10:51 PM CDT reply actions

Wanna bet?

I hate Noah's guts right now.

by Dikembe Meiztombo on Jun 20, 2011 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions

He's probably good for baseball, as he makes me want to buy front row seats...

Just so I could heckle him.

by The Lone Figure on Jun 20, 2011 11:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Narron speaks!

Now that's great tasting chicken!

by Kyle Lobner on Jun 20, 2011 10:54 PM CDT reply actions

I had no idea he was our bench coach. None.

I hate Noah's guts right now.

by Dikembe Meiztombo on Jun 20, 2011 11:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Sometimes I wonder if Narron knows.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Jun 20, 2011 11:08 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

I will forgive all of Runnin' Ron's mistakes in judgment

if he unloads on Davidson in the presser. If he announces that they’ve filed a protest with the league, even better. If he says that they’ll refuse to play if Davidson is umping any of their games in the future, I’ll start Hire Ron Roenicke Forever tomorrow.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Jun 20, 2011 10:58 PM CDT reply actions 4 recs

Tampa Bay: 9 H, 5 BB, 8 R. Milwaukee: 9 H, 6 BB, 4 R

Baseball Gods hate Milwaukee.

"PLUSH ALERT: THERE WAS AN UNTUCKING AT FENWAY!"

by SRB on Jun 20, 2011 11:14 PM CDT reply actions

Umpiring bullshit aside, we REALLY need to get rid of Kotsay and Betancourt.

I’m for calling up Boggs to replace Kotsay and ANYONE ELSE to replace Betancourt. Seriously. Angel Gonzalez is playing well for Huntsville, why not call him up? Could he possibly be worse than Betancourt?!

For your health!

by menchkins on Jun 20, 2011 11:18 PM CDT reply actions

Anyone know if Taylor Green could play SS? He's got the build for it.

For your health!

by menchkins on Jun 20, 2011 11:20 PM CDT up reply actions

If he could, he would probably be playing there.

"PLUSH ALERT: THERE WAS AN UNTUCKING AT FENWAY!"

by SRB on Jun 20, 2011 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions

(Though, there's playing SS, and then there's "playing" SS better than Yuniesky)

"PLUSH ALERT: THERE WAS AN UNTUCKING AT FENWAY!"

by SRB on Jun 20, 2011 11:24 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

That's pretty much all we're looking for at this point I think.

For your health!

by menchkins on Jun 20, 2011 11:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Postgame comments

See them here.

And I’ve got two more posts on tap after that, so stick around.

Now that's great tasting chicken!

by Kyle Lobner on Jun 20, 2011 11:26 PM CDT reply actions

Sam Fuld warmed up in the 7th?

Anybody understand the point of this? Just to waste time? I feel like I’d have been ready to bean someone after that deal.

by mls4 on Jun 21, 2011 1:23 AM CDT reply actions

The Rays didn't have anybody ready in the 'pen after the top of the seventh.

They sent Fuld to the mound to take the warm-up pitches so Cesar Ramos could get loose in the bullpen. Then Maddon “lifted” Fuld when he’d thrown all his warm-up pitches and brought in Ramos.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Jun 21, 2011 6:30 AM CDT up reply actions

Apparently he had a pitcher ready just now the right pitcher. :/

http://tampabay.rays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110621&content_id=20801764&vkey=news_tb&c_id=tb

Bernie: I seem to have lost my sense of direction!
Kermit: Have you tried Hare Krishna?

by pumpkinking on Jun 21, 2011 9:16 AM CDT up reply actions

Hooray for cheating

Isn’t lying about a player being injured to gain an advantage an ‘unwritten rule’ in baseball? Maybe Fuld gets plunked tonight for the Brewers to voice their displeasure. It’s not Fuld’s fault his manager is an ass, but they can’t get retribution on the manager. At the very least, I wouldn’t mind a pitch behind him with the bases empty. I think that would send the message, too.

by ecocd on Jun 21, 2011 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions

I would say cheating is against the rules, whether unwritten or not. Apparently in this case there is no way to prove that he cheated, as obvious as it looks.

by mls4 on Jun 21, 2011 10:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Honestly, I thought Narveson pitched a good game

The atrocious defense in the beginning of the big inning put him in a much more difficult situation that he should have been in.

Ugh, Betancourt

by theBrouhaha on Jun 21, 2011 6:10 AM CDT reply actions

That and I wonder if he was able to stay warm/focused during that long 6th

Bernie: I seem to have lost my sense of direction!
Kermit: Have you tried Hare Krishna?

by pumpkinking on Jun 21, 2011 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions

I wonder if we've been a bit innoculated to poor pitching

With so many years of terrible pitching performances, this rough patch has me annoyed, but not angry. I know the pitching wasn’t as phenomenal as it’s been, but I know it’s not as bad as this.

There’s a part of me that believes it’s inevitable that Greinke will find a way to turn those 10 K games into 2 ER games (starting tonight, okay Greinkers?). I also don’t think that Narveson will ever fully figure out his One Bad Inning problem just like Dave Bush never seemed to figure it out; as a 5th starter, well, that happens. I’m simply not looking a gift horse in the mouth with Randy Wolf.

Axford will blow a save sometime. Loe will start shutting down opposing batters again at some point. Hawkins will give up a run.

Overall, though, this pitching staff is far better than anything we’ve seen in Milwaukee and we’re going to see that over the course of the season.

by ecocd on Jun 21, 2011 7:53 AM CDT reply actions

I think the bullpen is going to continue to be a bit of an issue

Axford is great, Loe is good but often struggles against lefties, Hawkins has been good but isn’t striking many out or pitching in high leverage. Everyone else? Show flashes but not a guy I want to go-to in high leverage.

Dillard’s a nice story, but I think if he’s the guy they go to down 2-0 in the 7th there are going to be issues. It really hurts not having a left-handed option.

At this point, I’m not sure we can ever count on Braddock or Saito doing anything this year, am expecting some sort of trade to go down in the next month.

Get a ife broseph

by Supertramp on Jun 21, 2011 8:04 AM CDT up reply actions

If Kottaras is really on the trading block

then he would seem good enough to be a key part of a trade for decent lefty reliever.

by ecocd on Jun 21, 2011 9:23 AM CDT up reply actions

If Kottaras is really on the trading block, I'm a sad panda.

fka "warwick5s"

by DEUCE SLUICE on Jun 21, 2011 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Rec'd for "Sad Panda"

I disagree, but you still get the rec. (I disagree because we still have Rivera)

by BrewCrewBrian on Jun 21, 2011 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions

If he's on the block we need a damn Sortstop

For your health!

by menchkins on Jun 21, 2011 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Was it Morgan's decision try to bunt on base in the 1st inning?

Rickie got on base to lead off the game and then Morgan popped up a bunt to the pitcher. Maybe Morgan saw the same play in the top of the inning work so he took the initiative? He’s a good enough hitter, they might want to let him know that early in the game, he’ll do well to swing away, especially if a gapper scores Rickie. At the very least, give Rickie a chance to steal second before you pop out to the pitcher.

by ecocd on Jun 21, 2011 9:40 AM CDT reply actions

Not sure, know he did the same thing on Thursday against the Cubs

Worked that day, I’d guess they want him to try and bunt for a hit. Personally, I’d rather he just swung away.

Get a ife broseph

by Supertramp on Jun 21, 2011 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions

Comments For This Post Are Closed

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

NL Central Standings

	W	L	PCT	GB	STRK
Cincinnati Red Reporter	26	20	.565	0	Won 1
St. Louis Viva El Birdos	25	22	.531	1.5	Lost 3
Houston The Crawfish Boxes	22	24	.478	4	Lost 1
Pittsburgh Bucs Dugout	22	24	.478	4	Won 2
Milwaukee Brew Crew Ball	19	27	.413	7	Lost 1
Chicago Bleed Cubbie Blue	15	31	.326	11	Lost 11